The present invention relates to a body for motor vehicles such as automobiles, comprising a sliding roof with a frame bottom and a supporting structure located below the roof of the motor vehicle, said supporting structure being formed by transverse and longitudinal members.
Strict safety requirements are imposed on automobile bodies today to protect the passengers effectively against injury in the event of accidents. This requires a rigid design for the passenger compartment which is accomplished by using supporting structures. It is necessary, especially for the category of accidents involving overturning of the vehicle, to provide longitudinal and transverse supports beneath the roof of such a body.
When a sliding roof is installed in such a body, it is precisely the area of the sliding roof which poses special danger of injury to the passengers if the vehicle should overturn.
In a known sliding roof design (German Auslegeschrift No. 1 281 871), the sliding roof opening is bordered only by a U-shaped gutter, which could not withstand the stresses arising if the vehicle should overturn.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide the body of a motor vehicle such as an automobile in the area of the sliding roof such that it can accept high stresses, especially if the vehicle should overturn, with simple manufacture. However, the assemblies required to drive the sliding roof, such as the electric motor, transmission, etc. must be so disposed that they take up little space and do not have a disadvantageous effect upon the size and/or travel of the sliding roof for a given roof length.
The above and other objects are attained according to the present invention by providing a body for motor vehicles of the aforementioned type wherein the frame bottom is reinforced by at least one indentation, and forms a rigid supporting structure, at least with a portion of the transverse and longitudinal supports. It is advantageous in this respect for the frame bottom to be integrated in the unfinished cage of the structure.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention a gutter surrounding the sliding roof opening forms a part of the roof. The gutter is mounted against the frame bottom and is connected to the latter by gluing, welding, or the like. The frame bottom is connected with all of the supports of the frame structure. The rear transverse support of the supporting structure is formed by a section, open on one side, whereby this side is closed by a segment of the frame bottom. This rear transverse support has a dome-shaped profile in cross section with flanges which are connected by gluing, welding, or the like with the segment of the support structure. The sliding roof is actuated by means of an electric motor provided with a transmission, the electric motor and the transmission being supported by the rear transverse support and the frame bottom. In addition, the electric motor and transmission are disposed at least partially countersunk in the frame bottom and/or transverse support.
Advantages are achieved according to the present invention in that the reinforced frame bottom and the transverse and longitudinal supports of the frame structure form a rigid supporting structure integrated in the unfinished cage of the motor vehicle, said supporting structure preventing the roof from being pushed in, endangering the passengers, if the vehicle should overturn. The frame bottom is connnected with the transverse and longitudinal supports of the unfinished cage, so that no particular assembly procedures are required. The arrangement of the electric motor and transmission not only permits effective utilization of the size and/or travel of the sliding roof for a given roof, but also allows these parts to be especially easily mounted on the rear transverse support, if the latter is appropriately designed.